How many is "a handful"?

MrEureka

When you you read an auction lot description that says something like "5 pieces certified by PCGS and only a handful or two known to exist", how do you interpret it?

Nap

Just a handful

SmEagle1795

As many as can be deemed legally ambiguous if there's a known hoard that isn't being disclosed.

"A small number" is another one... are we talking Planck length, molar mass, or small relative to infinity?
"We're minutes away from finishing the project"... millions of minutes?

Abuelo

When they say a handful, I think they mean a few.

pruebas

@Abuelo said:
When they say a handful, I think they mean a few.

Well, they are trying to imply a few without actually saying it and committing themselves.

Abuelo

That is why I said a few 😂

scubafuel

I always figured it was a handful of fingers. So 5, or 10 if a double handful.

MrEureka

I interpret it as "We have no idea how many actually exist, so be careful."

Abuelo

I think you are right @MrEureka

bidask

5-10 pieces

Stork

A handful is more than a pinch, but less than a bucket.

tcollects

between 1 and 500

JohnnyCache

Only thing for certain in that statement is:

Handful > 5 pieces

Sapyx

Fun fact: the word "drachm" means "handful".

In ancient Greece before the invention of coins, the basic unit of currency was the "obol", a stick made of iron. A drachm was therefore the number of iron sticks you could comfortably hold in your hand.

Which, it turns out, is precisely 6 sticks.

The ancient Greek currency system remained at 6 obols to the drachm, until the Greek currency system was subsumed by Rome.

"A handful or two", in the numismatic sense, therefore means "6 to 12".

amwldcoin

Whose hand we talking about?

coinkat

Seems a call to the auction house is worthy of some consideration... I would ask why they wasted 14 words that provide no clarity as to whatever it is that they are trying to communicate.

If that reads harsh... it is... because whoever approved the auction final form as to content should know better.

TwoKopeiki

A handful is 3 bunches or 1/6th of a stone.

messydesk

A handful is 1/2 cup. That could still be quite a lot of coins if they're not in slabs, especially if they're small and thin.

pruebas

@MrEureka said:
When you you read an auction lot description that says something like "5 pieces certified by PCGS and only a handful or two known to exist", how do you interpret it?

As you can see from the responses above, everyone has a different definition of handful based on their experiences and knowledge. I think that's what the auction house wanted. To create an aura of rarity without actually making themselves liable if it turns out not to be true.

coinandcurrency242

anywhere from 2 or 3 to millions! Depends on how you define "handful"

krueger

" There were Giants in those days"
very big hands indeed.

"small relative to infinity" many of these similitudes ( ie.words in politics) bandied about these days without any precise definitions.

Elcontador

@MrEureka said:
When you you read an auction lot description that says something like "5 pieces certified by PCGS and only a handful or two known to exist", how do you interpret it?

In an auction catalogue, this means anything from two to two million.

ColonelKlinck

Just a tad less than a kaboodle, but a skosche more than a kitt.

MrEureka

@pruebas said:

@MrEureka said:
When you you read an auction lot description that says something like "5 pieces certified by PCGS and only a handful or two known to exist", how do you interpret it?

As you can see from the responses above, everyone has a different definition of handful based on their experiences and knowledge. I think that's what the auction house wanted. To create an aura of rarity without actually making themselves liable if it turns out not to be true.

I doubt that anyone who would use such a description thinks that hard about it.

SYRACUSIAN

@MrEureka said:
I interpret it as "We have no idea how many actually exist, so be careful."

😂😂😂😂😂

SYRACUSIAN

@Sapyx said:
Fun fact: the word "drachm" means "handful".

In ancient Greece before the invention of coins, the basic unit of currency was the "obol", a stick made of iron. A drachm was therefore the number of iron sticks you could comfortably hold in your hand.

Which, it turns out, is precisely 6 sticks.

The ancient Greek currency system remained at 6 obols to the drachm, until the Greek currency system was subsumed by Rome.

"A handful or two", in the numismatic sense, therefore means "6 to 12".

That’s an interesting post Sapyx.

The obol and two obols, were reintroduced unsuccessfully to Greek numismatics of the 19th century but at a rate of 20 obols to the drachma.

Another modern version of the obol is found in the coinage of the Ionian islands under British administration, where especially during the years 1819-1821, the obol and the 2 obols were the biggest coins that existed. In 1834 , the system was revised, the obol was linked to the lepta (6 lepta for an obol in 1819-21, 5 lepta per obol since 1834 to 1862 but during that period only tiny lepta were struck and silver 30 lepta that were the size and weight of a British three pence.

golden

More than a handful is not a waste.